Microsoft’s Windows 8 Pro-Powered Surface Release Date Could Be Late January

Despite rumors of a release close to CES, CNET reports that Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablet is set to go on sale in late January, a revelation that the publication came to after making several calls to a number of Microsoft retail stores and the discovery that employees expect its latest tablet at the end of the month.

After unveiling the pricing for its Windows 8 tablet late last year, Microsoft has remained relatively quiet about the exact timing of release outside of a promised January timeframe.

Unlike the Surface RT released last October alongside Windows 8, Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablet is powered by Windows 8 Pro, allowing legacy Windows applications to be run in desktop mode on the device. Priced from $899, the Surface Pro includes an Intel Core i5 processor and 1080p HD display.

Microsoft originally opened up pre-orders for its Surface RT tablet 10 days ahead of its release on October 26th, so it’s possible that the company could follow a similar pattern this time around as well, though we probably won’t know for sure until on or after the CES event. Microsoft had plans previously in place to scale down its presence at CES 2013, with no booth on the show floor or a Microsoft-led keynote — a sign that the company wants to manage its own products and announcements separately from CES.